Cover for service-boxes.



G. T. FORD.

COVER FOR SERVICE BOXES.`

APPLICATION FILED Mmm, 1910.

Patented Jan. 9, 1912.

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CHARLES T. FORD, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

COVER FOR sEavIcELBoxEs.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 9,1912.

Application led March 5, 1910. Serial No. 547,585.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES T. FORD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Covers for Service-Boxes, ofwhich the following is a specification.

`The invention relates to covers for so called service boxes, which areused, generally in public places, to'surround and give access to cocksor other` controlling connections in service pipes. f

The object of the invention is to provide a cover which shall be made'ofmaterials of such low intrinsic value as to eliminate vandalism and atthe same time, to render the cover self-positioning and retaining in thesense that it requires no bolts or special locking means, and may not bedisplaced by such shocks as may result from the feet of pedestrians, thewheels of vehicles or the feet of horses, which may pass over it.

To these ends, the invention consists in providing a metallicfoundation, which will constitute a relatively small portion of thevertical dimension of the cover and a heavy depending body of relativelycheap material, such as masonry orequivalent material, which body shallbe of suliicient depth to not only position the cover upon the box, butwhich will lend sufficient inertia to the cover to make it irresponsiveto or prevent its being displaced by the feet of pedestrians or ofhorses, or the wheels of vehicles, which may travel over it.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a service boxwith my improved cover in position; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional viewof a modified form of cover; and Fig. 3 is a vertical section view ofanother modified form of cover.

1 is a service box which may have straight sides or may be provided withspiral grooves, as shown in Fig. 1.

2 is a cover having an annular depending ange 3, which is of a diameteradapting it to be fitted outside of the box 1, as shown in Fig. 1. Thecover 2 is provided with depending lugs or reinforcing members 4provided with notches or recesses 5. These members 4 are cast integralwith the cover 2 and may be of any desired length.

6 is a cement composition which is molded solid around the members 4,the members 4 acting as a reinforce for the composition so that thecover 2 is, provided with a dei pending weighted body which extends somedistance within the service box 1, the weight of said body beingsufficient to hold the cover in place on the box without theintervention of screws, bolts and the like. The length of the body 6 issuch that the cover cannot be removed from the box accidentally.

In Fig.` 2, I have shown a construction wherein the reinforcing members7 are formed by striking up the metal from the cover, the cementcomposition body 8 being keyed or molded to said reinforce members'7, asclearly shown. The cover in this view is provided withthe flange 9 whichcorresponds with the flange 3 in Fig. 1.

In Fig. 3, I have illustrated a cover in which the depending cementcomposition body 10 is formed with a spiral groove which may be threadedin the spiral groove of the box shown in Fig. 1. In this construction,it is not necessary that the body 10 be as long nor as heavy as thebodies 6 and 8 shown in Figs. 1 and 2, respectively, inasmuch as thethreads formed by the spiral grooves interlock with the spiral groove.formed in the box. This cover shown Fig. 3 may be molded direct-ly inone end of the service box. In carrying out this feature of myinvention, it is, of course, necessary to coat or paint the inner faceof the service box with graphite, clay or other easily disintegratedmaterial, after which'the cement is introduced and pressed into the endof the box, with the box acting as a mold. After the cement has set, theclay, graphite, or other easily disintegrated material is readilyremoved from the inner face of the service box by tapping the box orgiving the cover a twisting movement, whereupon the clay, graphite,etc., will readily fall to the bottom of the service box, thus leavingthe cover with an easy t within the service box.

A cover constructed according to my invention not only possesses maximumstrength, but is of such construction that it cannot be accidentallydisplaced or removed from the service box, thus insuring the closure ofthe box at all times and ,preventing accidents. These covers may bemolded at odd times by city government at the supply station in moldsprovided for that purpose, or, as above stated, they may be moldeddirectly in the service box, the service box acting as a mold.

It is to be understood that the several forms of projections for thepurpose of securing the depending Weighted body to the cap or cover aremerely suggestive and there is no intention of limiting the invention toany particular means for accomplishing this result. It is also: to beunderstood that, as illustrated in Fig. 3, the projections l1 vmay bemade separately from and attached to or placed in position upon the capor cover and the depending Weighted body or core cast about the same.This is important in converting existing caps or covers for the new use.In Fig. 8, the depending projections are shown riveted in place, but itis obvious that they might merely be dropped through openings made inthe cap or cover and allowed to project suiiiciently beyond theinner'surface to insure the attachment of a sufficiently deep body ofcement to hold the cap in place by its Weight.

It is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the particularforms shown, Which are merely illustrative of the principles of myinvention.

The box cover having the characteristics described is peculiarlyadvantageous in that it is not of suiicient value to suggest dishonesty,resulting in its removal; it has no attaching screws or other parts thatmay Work loose and develop dangerous projections in the surface to betraveled over; it remains in place in spite of any shocks that maybe'brought upon it by travel over the surface; it is exceedingly cheapto makeand practically indestructible, and therefore very economical;and the invention affords a convenient and economical means forrepairing existing covers, Which exist in large numbers in anymunicipality With their original attaching means lost, destroyed orstolen. What I claim is: l l. A gravity retained service box covercomprising a relatively light metallic sustaining member adapted to fitthe end of the box and a relatively deep body of heavy masonry securedto and depending from said sustaining member, adapted to enter the boxfor Which the cover is intended and hold the cover in place by itsinertia. y

2. A service box cover for the purpose described, comprising a metallicsupporting member constructed on its underside vvith means forinterlocking with a molded body of plastic material, and a body ofplastic material molded -upon said under side of the base having atransverse dimension which adapts it to enter and project Within the boxand having a vertical dimension Which lends a relatively large Weight tothe body and adapts it to resist shocks and hold the cover in place byits Weight or inertia. The foregoing specification signed at Washington,D. C., this 26 day of Feby., i910. Y

CHARLES T. FORD.

In presence of- I-IERvEY S. KNIGHT, EDWIN S. CLARKsoN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for tive cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C.

